again, and another effort was made to draw the sword.

After all had tried and failed, Arthur was brought forward, and while
many sneered at his youth and asked why a boy had been brought thither,
he seized the hilt and lightly drew the blade from the stone. Then all
stood aghast in wonder, marvelling greatly to see a youth perform the
feat which the strongest knights in the kingdom had attempted in vain;
but many beheld it with bitter anger and hostile doubt.

"Who is this boy?" they cried. "What royal blood can he claim? Shall we
and the realm of England be shamed by being governed by a base-born
churl? There is fraud or magic in this."

So high ran the tide of adverse feeling that the archbishop finally
decided that another trial should be had at Candlemas, ten knights
meanwhile closely guarding the stone. And when Candlemas day arrived
there came many more great lords, each eager for the throne; but, as
before, of all there none but Arthur could draw the magic sword.

Again was there envy and hostility, and another trial was loudly
demanded, the time being fixed for Easter. This ended as before, and at
the demand of the angry lords a final trial was arranged for the feast
of Pentecost. The archbishop now, at Merlin's suggestion, surrounded
Arthur with a bodyguard of tried warriors, some of whom had been Uther
Pendragon's best and worthiest knights; for it was feared that some of
his enemies might seek to do him harm. They were bidden to keep watch
over him day and night till the season of Pentecost, for there were
lords that would have slain him had they dared.

At the feast of Pentecost lords and knights gathered again, but in vain
they all essayed to draw the magic sword. Only to the hand of Arthur
would it yield, and he pulled it lightly from the stone and steel in the
presence of all the lords and commons. Then cried the commons in loud
acclaim,--

"Arthur shall be our king! We will have none to reign over us but him!
Let there be no more delay. God has willed that he shall be England's
king, and he that holdeth out longer against the will of God that man
shall we slay."

Then rich and poor alike kneeled before Arthur, hailed him as king, and
craved his pardon for their long delay. He forgave them freely, and
taking the sword between his hands, laid it upon the altar before the
archbishop. This done, he was made a knight by the worthiest warrior
there, and thus taken into that noble fellowship of chival